Since its introduction, the Head Instinct series has been a favorite with modern-style players thanks to its lighter weight and optimal head size. For 2013, Head has improved the line once again, and made Instinct playing qualities available to more players than ever before.

The Big (Tech) Deal: Graphene is the lightest, strongest material in the world (it’s 200 times stronger than steel!), and Head had used it in a very innovative manner. In the past, racquet manufacturers have used lightweight materials to reduce overall racquet weight significantly, but because of that, they’ve struggled to maintain a stable hitting platform. This use of technology has increased swingweight and power, but has reduced other areas of racquet performance where weight is a bonus, like recoilweight (resistance to “kicking back” in the hand at net) and twistweight (resistance to twisting on off-center hits). Head has been able to combat this with their use of Graphene technology.

By using Graphene to make a lighter racquet shaft, Head has been able to take the leftover weight and place it in the head and handle areas of the frame. This has enabled racquet weights to stay constant (and decrease in some cases), but swingweight has increased noticeably. So, by leaving weight in the racquet, Head has increased power, but maintained, and even increased, other performance characteristics, offering players a more powerful and maneuverable racquet with greater stability.

The extra weight in the racquet head leads to increased ability of the racquet tip to accelerate and “plow through” the ball from the baseline, allowing you not only more power, but also the ability to fight off your opponent’s strongest shots. Extra weighting in the handle helps keep the racquet from recoiling, or kicking back, in your hand at net, allowing better control and less stress on the arm. Check the video on the right for more details.

The new YouTek Graphene Instinct MP is the choice of WTA star Maria Sharapova and ATP top 10 player Tomas Berdych, and it’s perfect for modern-style aggressive baseline players. Mid-wide beams (a 23/25/21mm taper) put the strongest section of the frame squarely in the hitting zone for strong, solid, and stable groundstrokes, and perfect tweener weighting and head light balance for easy topspin application. With a flex that’s not too high and optimal swingweight for almost anyone, the YouTek Graphene Instinct MP should be a very popular choice for aggressive baseline and all-court players of all levels.

Players wanting a little more help from their racquet, while keeping the great Instinct feel, should consider the Graphene Instinct S. A full one ounce lighter than the MP, the Instinct S has beams that are just a touch wider in the hitting area, and a slightly larger head size, offering a little more power and forgiveness for players who need it. And, of course, Graphene technology offers remarkable stability, maneuverability, and control from all areas of the court.

If you’re a junior looking for your first adult-size tournament frame, the YouTek Graphene Instinct REV will be perfect for you. With a further reduction in weight (and swingweight) from the S model, the Instinct REV will allow younger players to generate higher levels of racquet speed for extra power and spin. Graphene technology optimizes weight distribution for added power, maneuverability and stability, and it comes in a size “zero”, or 4- inch, grip that is perfect for smaller hands.

Those players looking for total ease of swinging haven’t been left out of the Instinct fold this year. For 2013, Head brings you the YouTek Graphene PWR Instinct, the first widebody, extra-long Instinct frame. The PWR Instinct combines all the necessary qualities for effortless power: sub-8 ounce unstrung weight, extra-long 27 2/3” length, jumbo oversize 115 square inch head, and 29mm widebody beams will have you feeling like you don’t have to swing the racquet at all! Graphene will add extra punch and stability to make it feel like you actually haven’t done anything (except make your opponents cringe in fear, that is!). Senior players in particular should gravitate to the PWR Instinct to elevate the level of their doubles play. The 2013 Head Graphene Instinct series brings comfortable power to all levels of play.